Whirlpool Corporation

Michael A Morrell

Richard A McCoy

Anthony E Jenkins

Wallace J Elston, Iii

Matthew Peter Ebrom

Mark Eugene Glotzbach

Brian N Radford

Christopher S Moes

Anders B Zeijlon

Gregory Samuel Lieto

An appliance network has a network binder accessory to establish a private network among nodes that might be on different networks, using 'one-click'.

Appliance network for a networked appliance with a network binder accessory

Devices, systems and methods for commissioning a home network and inhibiting unaffiliated wireless communication devices that are physically proximate to each other from forming a wireless network. A wireless communication device may include a transceiver capable of communicating with at least a second device, a non-volatile memory capable of storing a network name, a controller, and a user input acceptance element capable of placing the controller in a network set-up mode. The controller may have a plurality of modes including the network set-up mode, as well as a status indicator for providing an indication of whether the device is operating with one of a parent status and a child status. A method for joining a wireless network may include entering a network set up mode, and scanning for a second device operating with a parent status. If the second device is operating with the parent status, the network name of the second device may be adopted as the network name. However, if there is no second device operating with the parent status, the network name may be established as either a new name or an existing name.

Home network commissioning

The invention relates to a network system of at least two appliances, each appliance configured to perform a cycle of operation on an article, and each appliance having its own software architecture. An embedded virtual router enables communication among appliance components independent of the architecture of the software.

Software architecture system with embedded virtual router

Growing community of inventors

Hudsonville, MI, United States of America

Michael A Morrell